Senior nurses at University Hospital Wishaw have been recommended to carry out an audit after care plans for patients with mental health issues were deemed to be inadequate.

The Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland recently undertook an announced visit to Ward 3, the elderly admission and assessment ward for people with various mental illnesses.

Their recommendation suggests managers should ensure a review of care plans to promote a consistent approach, and ensure care plans are person-centred.

The report stated: “When we last visited we found care plans were inconsistent and did not clearly show the patient’s progress during their stay.

“We highlighted this as an area requiring attention.

“Unfortunately we did not see improvement in the care plan documentation and took the opportunity to discuss this, at length, with the new senior charge nurse and the lead nurse.

“We recommended that an audit of care plans be carried out to ensure consistency in recording, and to ensure that they are person-centred and clearly indicate progress and interventions for the individual patients.”